Federal politicians debating anti-bullying motion

Politicians in Ottawa are debating a motion that proposes the creation of a national bullying prevention strategy, in the wake of the death of Amanda Todd, the British Columbia teenage bullying victim who apparently took her own life.

Quebec NDP MP Dany Morin’s motion is up for debate in the House of Commons on Monday. It proposes establishing a special 12-member committee to develop a national anti-bullying strategy. The committee will study the prevalence of bullying in various forms and anti-bullying best practices. The goal is to increase awareness and provide increased support to organizations that work with youth.

“We need to make sure we can prevent as many cases of bullying as possible because yes, some kids commit suicide after relentless bullying,” Morin said Monday. “But the vast majority live with all the inferno, the hell on a daily basis and it leaves scars.”

Morin said he was a victim of verbal and physical bullying when he was young.

“But in my time, there was no Facebook, so I had only a few bullies,” he said. “Kids who are being bullied through the Internet, through Facebook, they have a mob of bullies ganging up on them.”

The RCMP is investigating Todd’s apparent suicide. The 15-year-old posted a video on YouTube early last month, outlining her struggles with bullies using hand-written notes. The video ended with the message: “I have nobody. I need someone.”

She exposed her breasts on a webcam during a chat when she was in Grade 7 to an unidentified male. A year later, that person sent that image to her friends and family. She then suffered years of torment that she said led to severe anxiety, depression and failed suicide attempts.

The B.C. Coroners Service said it appears the Port Coquitlam teen took her own life last Wednesday.

The Mounties have so far received more than 400 tips since they opened the investigation.  On Friday, police set up the email account amandaTODDinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca to receive tips.